Spring 2011

THE THOMAS M. COOLEY LAW SCHOOL MAGAZINE

BenchmarkBenchmark

Inside

A New Revolution

The Protector of Wealth

Some Thoughts About Darryl

Family Lawyer and Family Man

A Passion for Helping People

Her Legacy Lives On

Service to Soldiers Landsin the Sunshine State

Righting InternationalWrongsThe pursuit of international justice can often be one of the most challenging, yet ultimately gratifying un-dertakings for an attorney.

– Dr. Kelly Askin (Moore Class, 1993)

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. . . R I G H T I N G . . .

INTERNATIONAL. . . W R O N G S . . .

The pursuit of international justice – endingimpunity for war crimes, crimes againsthumanity and genocide – can often be one ofthe most challenging, yet ultimately gratifyingundertakings for an attorney. Even if it meansrisking limb or life to conquer that goal.

Just ask Dr. Kelly Dawn Askin (Moore Class,1993), senior legal officer and internationalhuman rights lawyer of the Open Society JusticeInitiative. The New York City-based organizationuses law to protect and empower people aroundthe world through litigation, advocacy, research,training, reporting, and technical assistance. Her sole mandate is to assist and enhance theefforts of war crimes tribunals. The Moore Classgraduate has traveled to more than 70 countries– sometimes solo, other times with a team –sleeping in cars or tents, subjecting herself toharsh climates, dilapidated roads dotted with landmines and other hostile environments, all in the name of justice.

It is clearly not a position for the faint ofheart. So, what drives the 49-year-old Cooleygraduate to put herself in the crosshairs ofdanger when documenting or investigatinggross human rights abuses?

“Like many in my field, I believe there is no realpeace without justice, and no justice withoutpeace,” she said. “I also believe one individualcan have an enormous impact – positively ornegatively – on thousands of lives.”

CAREER INFLUENCERS A self-described workaholic, Dr. Askin’s journey to international justice began duringher coursework at Cooley Law School, whereshe attended after realizing a law degree couldhelp her use her energies to help those less fortunate. She earned a bachelor’s degree inpsychology from Georgia State University, thenhad a successful career in the travel industry.In 1990, she was accepted to Cooley Law School.It was during her international law course work,in particular with professors Dorean Koenigand Barry Dubner, that a chord was struck with Dr. Askin.

“Both were extremely generous and fabulousmentors, helping me realize that I wanted topursue a career in international human rightslaw and international criminal law, and thatpursuing an advanced degree in law would bethe best way to secure this goal,” she said. “It was also at Cooley that I began to under-stand that there was one key way to get to thetop of your desired field (outside a courtroom):publish, publish, publish.”

“When law is ignored, chaos ensues…it is my hope that with increasing enforcement ofinternational laws, these atrocities will decrease.” Dr. Kelly Askin

Dr. Kelly Askin, senior legal officer, Open Society Justice Initiative

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Following her graduation from Cooley, shebegan doctoral studies in law at the Universityof Melbourne in Australia. She attended aUnited Nations World Conference on HumanRights in Vienna in which rape as a war crimewas debated. At that conference in 1993, Dr. Askin met a Bosnian rape camp survivor. Shedecided to focus her dissertation on war crimesagainst women. This decision led her to workdirectly with the legal officer at the Yugoslavand Rwanda tribunals. Over time, Dr. Askinworked with tribunal officers and staff for theestablishment of a permanent internationalcriminal court. The work was a turning point in her career.

“Once you work in justice and law at theinternational level, other work feels less satisfying, less challenging,” she said.

Success, she said, is measured “small victoryby small victory.”

“Each arrest of a notorious war criminal, eachtrial, each conviction, and each well-reasoneddecision applying and upholding internationallaw is cause for celebration. While far from perfect, international war crimes courts havecaused a major paradigm shift in the enforcementof international law…now, slowly but surely,there is a culture of accountability for the leadingarchitects of mass atrocity crimes. Today, there isbroad acknowledgement worldwide that rape,sexual slavery, and other gender-related crimescan be instruments of genocide, crimes againsthumanity, crimes of war, forms of torture, andmeans of persecution. That’s a huge success.”

PERSONAL PRICEWhile friends and family members consider herglobe-trotting pursuits to be exciting or evenglamorous, Dr. Askin set the record straight.“In reality, while it certainly is tremendouslyrewarding, it is also emotionally draining andoften physically challenging to work in placesdevastated by war and violence and witnessfirsthand the misery that war causes and thedestruction left in its wake.”

As a blonde-haired caucasian woman, Dr. Askinstands out in her travels to places like theDemocratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, andCambodia. “I try to be respectful of local customs or religious practices, and minimizeactivities which will generate hostility. It’simportant to appear neither a threat nor alikely victim. Some of the strongest, mostresilient, most courageous women I’ve evermet are from countries where women areactively repressed.”

When not working on international justice, Dr.Askin has taught international law or served asa visiting scholar at Notre Dame Law School,American University’s Washington College ofLaw, Harvard University, Yale Law School, andOxford University. Her work is frequently citedin scholarly writings the world over. She is anop-ed contributor to The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune and The

Washington Post, among others.

HER LIFE’S WORKIn addition to the incredible personal satisfactionthat comes from her work, Dr. Askin takes comfort in enjoying the friendships she has madeall over the world, visiting her family and her 13 nieces and nephews, and enjoying sports.

As her 50th birthday approaches this year, shepaused to reflect on her life’s contributions.

“When law is ignored, chaos ensues…it is my hope that with increasing enforcement of international laws, these atrocities willdecrease.”

“Like many in my field, I believe there is no real peace without justice, and no justice without peace. I also believeone individual can have an enormous impact – positively ornegatively – on thousands of lives.” Dr. Kelly Askin

Top: Dr. Askin on left, Entrance to the Tuel Sleng

Genocide Museum in Cambodia

Bottom: East Timor, UN helicopter crossing the

border of Sudan into Chad

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Hometown:

Augusta, Georgia

Education:

Georgia State University, B.S.

Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D.

Melbourne University, Australia, Ph.D.

Employment:

Senior Legal Officer, International Justice,Open Society Justice Initiative (www.justiceinitiative.org)

Books/Writings:

• War Crimes Against Women:

Prosecution in International Law

Crimes Tribunals

• Women and International Human

Rights Law (3 volumes, co-editor with Cooley Law Professor Dorean Koenig)

• Authored more than 50 law review articles and book chapters

Career Highlights:

• Fulbright New Century Scholar, Global Empowerment of Women

• Testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary

• Appearances on CNN, BBC and NPR

• Expert consultant, legal adviser, and international law trainer to prosecutors, judges, and registry at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Serious Crimes Unit in East Timor, the International Criminal Court, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.

• Serves on the executive board of the American Branch of the International Law Association, the International Judicial Academy, International Criminal Law Services, and the International Law Students Association.

“Success is measured small victory by small victory.” Dr. Kelly Askin